Tenants
Reliable long-term tenants make the property less risky for the bank — improving both approval and rate. An empty unit is assessed more cautiously.
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Commercial mortgage in Dubai
No. 1 for commercial mortgages in Dubai for English-speaking investors and business owners: we match you with a bank and steer the loan application for an office, warehouse, retail unit or whole building. Expect a down payment typically from 30–50% of the price, a term usually up to 10–15 years and an individual rate: base rate plus the bank’s margin.
Discuss a commercial mortgage
Name and number — we will ask about the property, the tenants and how you want to structure the purchase.
Furnished offices in Business Bay: Rove HQ and the fitted-office model
The full write-up is on the video page.
The terms differ noticeably from a home loan: a larger down payment, a shorter term and stricter assessment. The bank studies not only the borrower’s income but the business model and cash flow of the property itself, so terms are almost always negotiated case by case.
The work is led by an invited expert — an independent, practising mortgage broker who is not on our staff. We pick the broker for your property and goal, introduce you and stay in touch until the deal is registered. The point is leverage, and it only works if the property yields more than the debt costs.
Commercial mortgage in Dubai: offices, retail and warehouses under construction
Commercial mortgage in Dubai: banks lend up to 60%, rates run 0.5-1% above residential, and one bank finances freehold warehouses still under construction.
Read the full article →How does a commercial mortgage differ from a home loan?
In the down payment, the term and the assessment. The down payment is typically from 30–50% of the price, the term usually up to 10–15 years, and the rate tends to be higher than on a home loan.
The asset differs too: an office tenant is a company, the lease is more complex, and commercial property deals in the UAE may attract VAT, unlike residential ones.
What can you buy with a commercial mortgage?
Offices in business centres — in Business Bay or DIFC, for example — warehouses and logistics units in industrial zones, retail space and showrooms. In some cases a bank will also finance construction.
A whole building can be bought the same way, usually with 30–50% down. The building’s cash flow has to cover the repayments with room to spare; the figure to work from is net operating income (NOI), not gross rent.
The deal flow shows the demand: in the third quarter of 2025 Dubai recorded 1,153 office sales worth AED 3.1 billion — up 93% by value on a year earlier. Business Bay led with 328 transactions, followed by JLT with 277.
A worked example
An office costs AED 4 million. With 40% down you put in AED 1.6 million and the bank funds AED 2.4 million. If net rent covers the repayment, your capital works harder than it would in a cash purchase.
The key rule: the property’s yield must be higher than the cost of servicing the debt. Calculate it from actual rents in the area, net of the service charge, fit-out costs and void periods.
What decides the application?
For the bank the deciding factor is how stable the property’s cash flow is, followed by the borrower’s business and a clean transaction. An application with tidy accounts and long leases is approved more readily.
Your business
Proven income or an established business with a trading history, accounts, statements, a business plan and a down payment from your own funds.
The property
Valuation by the bank’s accredited valuer and clean title for both the deal and the asset. For a free-zone warehouse, so does the length of the land lease.
Headroom
Stress-testing the payment against a rate rise and holding a reserve for void periods.
How the transaction runs
Five steps, from pre-approval to registration at the Dubai Land Department. Preparing the documents several months before approaching a bank noticeably improves the odds and the terms.
- 1
Pre-approval
The bank’s preliminary assessment of your income or business, accounts and statements. Before applying, compare at least three banks and stress-test the payment against a rate rise.
- 2
Choosing the property
Selecting the office, warehouse or retail unit and checking title, the tenants and how long their leases have left to run.
- 3
Valuation
The bank’s accredited valuer assesses the property.
- 4
Contracts
Signing the mortgage agreement and the sale and purchase agreement.
- 5
Registration
The deal is registered at the Dubai Land Department.
Why do tenants matter so much to the bank?
Because the rent is what services the loan. An office or warehouse with reliable long-term tenants is seen as lower risk, while an empty or speculative unit is assessed more cautiously.
The market currently favours the owner. According to JLL for the second quarter of 2026, prime office vacancy in Dubai is around 0.3% and overall vacancy 6.1%, down from 7.7% a year earlier; Grade B rents rose 31.5% over the year and Grade A rents 26.2%.
Warehouses tell a similar story: occupancy of modern stock in Jafza and Dubai Investments Park is 97–100%, and the average lease has lengthened to 7–9 years from 3–5 years before.
Which risks should you build into the numbers?
A void period, falling rents and a higher repayment on a floating rate. Commercial property is more sensitive to economic cycles than housing, so you need a cash reserve for empty months and a sober view of demand for that particular type of space.
Some costs do not show in the price. The service charge on commercial space is generally higher than on apartments and is payable whether the unit is let or not.
Who handles the work?
An invited mortgage broker — an independent practitioner, not an employee of ours. The broker compares the terms of several banks, prepares the documents and conducts the negotiations.
We choose the expert to suit the type of property and the profile of your business, make the introduction and stay in touch until the result.
Request
Discuss a commercial mortgage
Name and number — we will ask about the property, the tenants and how you want to structure the purchase.
Discuss a commercial mortgage
Video
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Reviews and explainers from our English YouTube channel.
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WatchFrequently asked questions
Can a non-resident take a commercial mortgage?
With some banks, yes — with a larger down payment and a limited list of lenders. Owning and letting commercial premises does not require residency.
Can I get a mortgage to build a warehouse?
In some cases banks do finance construction. As a guide to entry cost, a 7,473 sq m plot in Dubai Industrial City permitted for warehouses and cold stores was offered at AED 4 million. Yield figures in such offers are the seller’s own; check them against local rents.
Can a commercial loan be refinanced?
Yes. If market conditions have changed, an existing loan can be moved to another bank at a better rate. Weigh the saving against early-settlement fees and the cost of the paperwork.
Which matters more to the bank — the property or the tenant?
Both, but tenant quality and cash flow often decide the outcome. When you buy a warehouse you are in effect buying the tenant, not the walls: check how many years the lease has left and whether it includes indexation.
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